Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part IV - The Western Emerald: 80. Arrows

When Luo Yi Tian's steward handed him the letter sealed with an eagle stamped into red wax, he felt a wave of revulsion hit his stomach. Almost crushing it in his hand, he quickly moved into his study, shut the door, and tore the paper open only to find that the tightly packed handwriting did not belong to Ashina Atil.

Almost as soon as he read the letter, Luo Yi Tian folded it and tossed it into an incense burner. Ensuring that the paper was completely consumed, he changed into plain clothes, threw a hooded cloak over himself, and rode straight for the Chrysanthemum Tower.

Ignoring the front gate, Luo Yi Tian went around and tapped at a side gate. A moment later, a tall mute servant let him in, leading him through a series of corridors until he entered a stone room in the forbidden underground area. Going up to the large bronze door, the servant put his hand in the fanged mouth of the bronze dragon and silently manipulated a series of dials concealed there. Satisfied that he had done it correctly, the servant twisted the bronze pearl in the dragon's claw. The stone door opened a moment later with a grinding creak, revealing a hidden corridor brightly lit with torches. The servant gestured that this was as far as he could lead him and indicated that Luo Yi Tian should go ahead alone.

Footsteps echoing, he entered the narrow stone corridor and at the end there was a door that was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and entered the chamber within.

Sitting at a low table, with a hand warmer cradled in his fingers, the tower's master was not surprised to see him.

"It's been a long time, Luo Yi Tian," said the masked man sitting there. "You shouldn't be here."

Ignoring the cold words, Luo Yi Tian bowed while his lips twisted into a slight smile.

"You don't look well, Master Zheng," he noted, observing the man's sunken eyes.

Luo Yi Tian knew very well who was under the mask, but he used the alias as per the rules of the original agreement that they had between them.

Even beneath the mask, the Eldest Prince's light eyes looked listless and dull. His skin, which was normally pale, had taken on an unnatural translucency that made Luo Yi Tian shudder internally. It was the familiar appearance of someone who had suffered the ill-effects of the Corpse Flower for a very long time. It was a look that Luo Yi Tian saw every time he went to see his ailing father.

It's been so many years...how did Zhao Ling Ye endure it?

Irony twisted the greyish lips, and then the Eldest Prince broke into a ghastly, deathly grin.

"No, it's true. I don't have much time," he acknowledged with a sharp laugh, "But I can see that's not why you have come. Please sit."

Luo Yi Tian sat as directed.

"I received a letter from one of Ashina Atil's people. They are here in Tiansheng and mean to ambush the Seventh Prince," he said.

"So what?" sighed the Prince irritably, with his chin on his fist. "What does that matter?"